The Garden

I am quite liberal with the garden pictures these days. There's a reason for that. The garden is something that keeps me going.

There's growth in the garden. There's change. 

New things emerge daily. Nothing is stagnant. 

There's a feeling of fluidity.  Purpose.

Plants have motivation. There is no status quo.  Things change. Things bloom. Things grow.

There's beauty without vanity. 

Diversity without judgement.

The only conflict that I see are the weeds trying to take over the soil.

The garden keeps me going. It makes the day less ordinary.  It's an anchor in an otherwise uncertain world. 

Tuesday Ta-daah!

I finished a sock. I really like this yarn. I have no idea when/where I bought it. The colors are so pretty.

Another one is on the way.

Garden report:

Both kinds of tomatoes are coming along.

Echinacea and Black-Eyed Susan posed very nicely for me.

I'm hoping that this Butterfly Weed attracts some Monarchs this year.

This is Jolene. She is six years old. I have had many cats in my life. Growing up, we always had a cat. She is the only cat that I've ever known that holds a conversation with you. She enters a room. I say, "Hi, Jolene!" She meows a response. "Whatcha doin'?" "Meow." Every morning the husband goes into her room (yes, she has her own room) and says "Good Morning!" Jolene says, "Meow!" Mouthy kitty, she is. We love her.

Happy Fourth!

It's July Fourth. No big professional bangs in the sky tonight, just neighborhood knock-offs bought in the states next to where we reside. We will be inside, watching TV no doubt. But I watched Hamilton this weekend, so I have a renewed love and hope for this country. I also plan on reading something out of one of my father's many books that I inherited. Something about this country that will make me feel pride in my country. 

Speaking of pride, I am quite proud of myself. I bought Disney+ this weekend because I wanted to watch Hamilton that bad. Also, I am married to a Disney freak who will make good use out of the Disney/Pixar library that it provides. I bought it on my laptop. I couldn't figure out how to get it on my TV once I bought it. My usual method of figuring something out goes like this: Confusion, frustration, *&%$#, tenacious attitude that I CAN do this, concentration......success! And that's what happened. 

My husband has a new toy....

I had bought him a cheaper drone for Christmas. It was fun, but quite wobbly. So, he upgraded to this. It's a fun toy and the camera quality is great. I can't wait to take it out to the park and video the Patapsco Valley in the fall with all of the leaves turning. Endless possibilities..

Reggie, on the other hand, treats it like the birds on the fence. He likes to jump up and try to eat it. 

I started a sock with some XXL sock yarn. 

Here's a little owl that sits on my fence. We bought it at a garden center that went out of business after many years. It seems my house if full of treasured things that were bought at places that no longer exist. Testament to the fact that times change. 

Have a wonderful Fourth of July, readers!

July Is Here

Here we are in July. The hot weather is prompting my tomatoes to grow. 

My basil got a trim tonight. 

I put it in my mini food processor with some olive oil, half a clove of garlic and a sprinkling of walnuts. I didn't have the traditional pine nuts. But any fatty nut will do. 

Presto! I've got pesto! I'll freeze it and put it them a ziplock bag. There's nothing like adding a cube of this to your tomato sauce when the weather turns cold. Summer all over again.  I harvest  this throughout the Summer, adding to the bag until I have enough to use all winter long. Soups, sauces, even by itself with some pasta and grated parmesan. It's devine.

Our squirrels are happily eating the peanuts that the husband puts on the fence. Reggie is not pleased with the squirrel's dining area. He tries to get to them, but the fence is too high.

Here are my grandmother's chickens. They sit atop my buffet. They used to reside in her kitchen when I was growing up. I spent lots of time on the Eastern shore of Maryland at my grandmother's. Many, many Summers. More on that another day. I am glad that I ended up with her chickens.